Strawberry plant named &#39;ALLEGRO&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Strawberry plant named ‘Allegro’, characterized by its compact and upright plant habit; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit; uniform and early fruit ripening; medium-sized ovoid fruits that are moderately glossy and red in color; pleasant fruit aroma and taste; excellent fruit postharvest longevity; and moderate resistance to  Phytophthora cactorum.

Botanical designation: Fragaria x ananassa.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ALLEGRO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofStrawberry plant, botanically known as Fragaria x ananassa andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Allegro’.

The new Strawberry plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Eck en Wiel, The Netherlands. The objectiveof the breeding program was to develop new early-ripening Strawberryplants with good fruit quality, ease of harvesting, good postharvestlongevity and resistance to pathogens.

The new Strawberry plant originated from a cross-pollination by theInventor during the spring of 2008 in Eck en Wiel, The Netherlands of aproprietary selection of Fragaria x ananassa identified as code numberE2003-097, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with aproprietary selection of Fragaria x ananassa identified as code numberE2006-492, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The newStrawberry plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a singleplant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in acontrolled environment in Eck en Wiel, The Netherlands during the summerof 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Strawberry plant by runner cuttings in acontrolled environment at Eck en Wiel, The Netherlands since the autumnof 2010, has shown that the unique features of this new Strawberry plantare stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations ofasexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Strawberry have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Allegro’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Allegro’ as a new and distinct Strawberryplant:

-   -   1. Compact and upright plant habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Uniform and early fruit ripening.    -   4. Medium-sized ovoid fruits that are moderately glossy and red        in color.    -   5. Pleasant fruit aroma and taste.    -   6. Excellent fruit postharvest longevity.    -   7. Moderately resistant to Phytophthora cactorum.

Plants of the new Strawberry differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Strawberry are more upright than and not as        flat as plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Fruits of plants of the new Strawberry are ovoid in shape        whereas fruits of plants of the female parent selection are        conical in shape.

Plants of the new Strawberry differ primarily from plants of the maleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Strawberry are more vigorous than plants of        the male parent selection.    -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Strawberry are darker green in        color than leaves of plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Strawberry can be compared to plants of Fragaria L.‘Sonata’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,000. In side-by-sidecomparisons, plants of the new Strawberry differ primarily from plantsof ‘Sonata’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Strawberry are more upright than and not as        flat as plants of ‘Sonata’.    -   2. Plants of the new Strawberry are more vigorous than plants of        ‘Sonata’.    -   3. Plants of the new Strawberry have longer leaves with        typically longer petioles than plants of ‘Sonata’.    -   4. Plants of the new Strawberry flower and fruit earlier than        plants of ‘Sonata’.    -   5. Fruits of plants of the new Strawberry are darker in color        than fruits of plants of ‘Sonata’.    -   6. Fruits of plants of the new Strawberry are heavier and firmer        than fruits of plants of ‘Sonata’.

Plants of the new Strawberry can also be compared to plants of FragariaL. ‘Honeoye’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of thenew Strawberry differ primarily from plants of ‘Honeoye’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Fruits of plants of the new Strawberry are lighter in color        than fruits of plants of Honeoye'.    -   2. Achenes of plants of the new Strawberry are level with the        fruit surface whereas achenes of plants of ‘Honeoye’ are        positioned below the fruit surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Strawberry plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Strawberry plant. The photograph on the firstsheet is a top perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Allegro’. Thephotograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical leaves,developing fruits and developed fruits of a typical plant of ‘Allegro’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurementsdescribe plants grown in ground beds during the spring and summer in aglass-covered greenhouse in Elst, Gelderland, The Netherlands and undercultural practices typical of commercial Strawberry production. Duringthe production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 25°C. and night temperatures ranged from 7° C. to 14° C. Plants were oneyear old when the photographs and description were taken. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Fragaria x ananassa ‘Allegro’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Fragaria x            ananassa identified as code name E2003-097, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Fragaria x            ananassa identified as code name E2006-492, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By runner cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About one to four days at            soil temperatures about 15° C. and ambient temperatures            about 17° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About two            weeks at soil temperatures ranging from 18° to 20° C. and            ambient temperatures about 17° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically            cream white to white in color, actual color of the roots is            dependent on substrate composition, water quality,            fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and            physiological age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Perennial; compact and upright plant            habit; leaves basal; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth            habit; moderate growth rate.        -   Plant height.—About 25 to 35 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 35 to 40 cm.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Basal rosette; compound with typically three or            four leaflets per leaf.        -   Leaflet length.—About 10 to 13 cm.        -   Leaflet width.—About 7 to 10 cm.        -   Leaflet shape.—Broadly ovate.        -   Leaflet apex.—Obtuse to acute.        -   Leaflet base.—Obtuse to rounded.        -   Leaflet margin.—Serrate to lobed.        -   Leaflet texture, upper surface.—Pubescent.        -   Leaflet texture, lower surface.—Pubescent, rough.        -   Leaflet venation.—Pinnate.        -   Leaflet color.—Developing leaflets, upper surface: Close to            137A. Developing leaflets, lower surface: Close to 138A.            Fully expanded leaflets, upper surface: Close to between            137A and 139A; venation, close to 144C. Fully expanded            leaflets, lower surface: Close to 138A; venation, close to            144C.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 15 to 35 cm. Diameter: About 2 to            4 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower form and flowering habit.—Rotate flowers arranged            singly at lateral apices; flowers held mostly upright and            below the foliar plane.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower in late April to            early May in The Netherlands.        -   Flower diameter.—About 2 to 3 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 3 mm to 5 mm.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five or six petals;            petals not imbricate. Length: About 6 mm to 9 mm. Width:            About 7 mm to 10 mm. Shape: Round to broadly ovate. Apex:            Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Color: When            opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 155D. When            opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 155D.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement and calyx description: Twelve to 14            sepals arranged in about two whorls; calyx, star-shaped;            sepals are orientated upwards from the fruit. Length: About            1 cm to 1.5 cm. Width: About 2 mm to 5 mm. Shape: Lanceolate            to ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 137A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 7 cm to 10 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm            to 2 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close            to 144B.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 3 cm to 10 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm            to 3 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close            to 144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About 25            to 30. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape: Lanceolate            to elliptic. Anther color: Close to 14B. Pollen amount:            Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 15C. Pistils: Quantity per            flower: About 30. Pistil length: About 1 mm to 2 mm. Stigma            shape: Rounded. Stigma color: Close to 5A. Fruits: Quantity            per plant: About 25 to 35. Natural fruiting season:            Relatively early and long fruiting season, plants develop            fruit from early June until early July in The Netherlands.            Postharvest longevity: About ten days at 7° C. Length: About            2 cm to 5 cm. Diameter: About 2 cm to 3.5 cm. Shape: Ovoid.            Fruit weight per fruit, first quality: About 18 g. Fruit            weight per plant, first quality: About 420 g. Firmness:            Firm. Fragrance, taste: Pleasant; good balance between            sweetness and acidity. Luster: Uniformly moderately glossy.            Surface unevenness: Smooth. Color, surface: Close to 34A.            Color, flesh: Close to 33B. Seed density: Medium. Achene            position: Level with fruit surface. Achene color: Close to            1A.-   Disease and pest resistance: Plants of the new Strawberry have been    observed to be moderately resistant to Phytophthora cactorum. Plants    of the new Strawberry have not been observed to be resistant to    pests and other pathogens common to Strawberry plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Strawberry plant named ‘Allegro’ asillustrated and described.